Guidebook for Houston
Food Scene
Houston is a large city with tons of great restaurants to check out.These are just a few of our faves, most within a couple of miles of the house. Feel free to reach out for additional recommendations.
Local Foods Rice Village
2424 Dunstan RdGreat lunch spot with tasty, healthy options.
Common Bond Café & Bakery
1706 Westheimer RdAmazing pastries.
The Hay Merchant
1100 Westheimer RdCraft beer bar with the best burger in Houston.
Good, kind of fancy brunch place right next to the excellent Menil museum with a lovely patio.
23 locals recommend
Bistro Menil
1513 W Alabama StGood, kind of fancy brunch place right next to the excellent Menil museum with a lovely patio.
Houston has a vibrant Vietnamese community. Located in the heart of Chinatown, Pho Dien has the best pho in town.
13 locals recommend
Pho Dien
11830 Bellaire BlvdHouston has a vibrant Vietnamese community. Located in the heart of Chinatown, Pho Dien has the best pho in town.
Kata Robata
3600 Kirby DrVery good sushi and close to home.
Fat Bao
3419 Kirby DrCasual, cheap lunch place with a yummy, eclectic selection of bao.
Upscale Italian known for it's indulgent, but delicious spaghetti carbonara.
25 locals recommend
Coppa Osteria
5210 Morningside DrUpscale Italian known for it's indulgent, but delicious spaghetti carbonara.
JINYA Ramen Bar
3201 Louisiana StExcellent ramen
A local chain with really good crawfish during crawfish season (march through June)
116 locals recommend
BB's Tex-Orleans
2701 White Oak DrA local chain with really good crawfish during crawfish season (march through June)
Great spot in the morning for coffee and breakfast, but also great for a happy hour cocktail. Cute place with a mid-century, tropical vibe.
Tropicales
2132 Bissonnet StGreat spot in the morning for coffee and breakfast, but also great for a happy hour cocktail. Cute place with a mid-century, tropical vibe.
The Pit Room
1201 Richmond AvenueReally good BBQ.
Drinks & Nightlife
Kirby Ice House
3333 Eastside StBustling happy hour scene with tons of outdoor seating.
A cozy neighborhood staple with a large selection of draft and bottled beers.
56 locals recommend
The Ginger Man
5607 Morningside DrA cozy neighborhood staple with a large selection of draft and bottled beers.
Anvil Bar & Refuge
1424 Westheimer RdIncredible cocktails with a speakeasy vibe.
Renowned tequila and Mezcal bar with a truly incredible selection.
54 locals recommend
The Brewery Tap
310 Main StRenowned tequila and Mezcal bar with a truly incredible selection.
Huge beer garden with a fun, Austin vibe. It also has a great pizza place next door and a rotating food truck.
269 locals recommend
Axelrad Beer Garden
1517 Alabama StHuge beer garden with a fun, Austin vibe. It also has a great pizza place next door and a rotating food truck.
Super casual, outdoor, ice house (they only serve beer) that is pure Texas. The taco truck that is always parked across the street is very good too.
64 locals recommend
West Alabama Ice House
1919 W Alabama StSuper casual, outdoor, ice house (they only serve beer) that is pure Texas. The taco truck that is always parked across the street is very good too.
Parks & Nature
Brazos Bend State Park
21901 Farm to Market Rd 762Gators!
Great place to run and a lovely arboretum. Some nice walking/bike trails too.
233 locals recommend
Memorial Park
6501 Memorial DrGreat place to run and a lovely arboretum. Some nice walking/bike trails too.
Arts & Culture
A truly wonderful museum. An excellent permanent collection and a constant rotation of beautifully curated special exhibitions. Best of all, it's free.
491 locals recommend
The Menil Collection
1533 Sul Ross StA truly wonderful museum. An excellent permanent collection and a constant rotation of beautifully curated special exhibitions. Best of all, it's free.
A great way to spend a sweltering hot day.
979 locals recommend
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Beck Building
1001 Bissonnet StA great way to spend a sweltering hot day.
Built in 2012, the pyramidal structure accommodates 120 people between two levels. Twilight Epiphany is acoustically engineered to host musical performances and to act as a laboratory for music school students on select days after sunset. Constructed of grass, concrete, stone and composite steel, the structure is equipped with an LED light sequence that projects onto the ceiling and through an aperture in the 72-foot square knife-edge roof just before sunrise and at sunset. Turrell's composition of light compliments the natural light present at twilight, and transforms the Skyspace into a locale for experiencing beauty and reflective interactions with the surrounding campus and the natural world. Viewing times for the sunrise and sunset light sequences, along with reservation and logistical details, can be found online.
66 locals recommend
James Turrell's Twilight Epiphany Skyscape
Built in 2012, the pyramidal structure accommodates 120 people between two levels. Twilight Epiphany is acoustically engineered to host musical performances and to act as a laboratory for music school students on select days after sunset. Constructed of grass, concrete, stone and composite steel, the structure is equipped with an LED light sequence that projects onto the ceiling and through an aperture in the 72-foot square knife-edge roof just before sunrise and at sunset. Turrell's composition of light compliments the natural light present at twilight, and transforms the Skyspace into a locale for experiencing beauty and reflective interactions with the surrounding campus and the natural world. Viewing times for the sunrise and sunset light sequences, along with reservation and logistical details, can be found online.
A world class science museum with a really cool butterfly habitat.
863 locals recommend
The Houston Museum of Natural Science
5555 Hermann Park DrA world class science museum with a really cool butterfly habitat.
Essentials
H-E-B
6055 South FwyWhole Foods Market
515 Elgin StHands-down the best grocery store I've ever been to. Amazing produce, fish, meat, cheeses, and anything you can think of.
110 locals recommend
Central Market
3815 Westheimer RdHands-down the best grocery store I've ever been to. Amazing produce, fish, meat, cheeses, and anything you can think of.